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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Advent-ures

In November, I saw this post from Ashley at the Creative Place, showing a colorful and clever Advent envelope mini-book. I never really did anything for the season of Advent when I was growing up, but have done the little paper countdown calendars with my husband since we've been married. When I saw Ashley's envelopes full of activities for her children to do as they count down to Christmas, I knew that I wanted to find a way to make the season of Advent meaningful for my little girls, as well.

I didn't think I would be able to pull it off for this year at such last minute, but then it occurred to me that an almost-three-year-old and a four-year-old would have no idea if I started celebrating Advent a week "late"!

I went online and searched for "children's Advent activities," and found the idea of writing each Advent activity on a separate link of a paper chain. This, I knew I could do quickly. I also found lots of ideas for fun and meaningful Advent activities:

Specific prayers

Prayers for loved ones who live far away

Making Christmas cookies to share with neighbors

Enjoying warm apple cider together

Coloring Christmas pages

Visiting the library to find Christmas books

Giving everyone in the family a hug

Taking a walk and talking about all of the winter gifts God has given us to enjoy

I quickly jotted down about 22 ideas to fill our abbreviated three weeks of Advent.

The girls have had so much fun with this! At some point during the day, one of them or the other will say, "Can we do our Advent chain activity?" and race to the foyer where I hung it from the hall mirror.

For the most part, I kept the activities quick and simple, rather than involved projects.

We did try making salt dough ornaments, which made a bit of a mess and didn't quite come out (they never hardened properly). But luckily, the girls are all about the process and not so concerned with the product!

We also made gingerbread cookies to share with a neighbor. In this case, we made them during a playdate, and sent some home with our friends.

Another more involved project was to make edible ornaments for the birds. We cut hearts and stars from bread slices using cookie cutters, then spread them with sunflower seed butter. (We couldn't use peanut butter, which is usually recommended, because my younger daughter has a peanut allergy.) Then we sprinkled oats on top and attached them to hemp twine for hanging on the trees.

We also strung Cheerios on the twine, though the girls ate way more cereal than they strung!

My husband gently pointed out to me later that the birds would have to suspend themselves in mid-air to eat their treats, so he moved them to other places on the tree where they could rest on branches to enjoy them!

I have really been enjoying our daily activities. It seemed like such a fabulous, unique idea when I first ran across it. Then, as I read more and more blogs by creative mommies out there in the world, it seems that everyone is doing some version of this Advent countdown--activities printed on chains, cards, tags, garlands, or buntings, or tucked in pockets, envelopes, boxes, stockings, or booklets.

Who knew there are so many versions of this observance of the Advent season?! What a wonderful discovery!

Welcome!

As a writer and mixed-media artist, I love to explore creativity and make art in the broadest sense of the term. As a mother, I consider my two daughters my greatest creative act, but beyond that I write and dabble in collage, mixed-media and assemblage projects, art journaling, card making, and altered art. “Drawing Near” is the blog that chronicles my creative pursuits, while “Living Stones” is the blog that explores topics of faith, prayer, Bible study, and Christian fellowship and service. My day-to-day life as a stay-at-home mother continues to revolve around meals, laundry, crafts, trips to school, a living room full of toys, family phone calls, church activities, reading, journaling, and exploring my creative side. It is not hard to fill the days with two spirited daughters, a “perfect-for-me” husband, and a determination to keep life interesting!

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My other blog, Living Stones, will be updated two to three times a month with posts related to the Living Stones Women's Ministry, which began meeting in my home in February 2014. Blog entries will focus on Bible study, prayer, mission/service, fellowship, and ideas related to our discussions during our meetings. All are welcome to visit, read, and join the conversation!

Today's Thought

Are you doing what you love, or just what is expected of you? (Anthony Peters)